RideLust » Peugeot

Peugeot 207: Oh To Be Young

MrAngry — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 16:30:36 +0000

Sometimes a car commercial comes along that just makes you smile. Who knows, maybe it hits that little nerve inside your head that reverts you back into a 4-year old, or maybe it just has the ability to bring your mood back to normal after a crappy day. Whatever the reason, this commercial for the Peugeot 207 does just that by giving us a little bit of Disney’s “Cars”, a great tune and some stellar CGI. Sure the commercial is a few years old, but in my book that doesn’t make it any less entertaining… click through and enjoy.

Source: Vimeo.com

Peugeot Eyes U.S. Return

Kurt Ernst — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:30:41 +0000

The last time you could walk into a Peugeot dealer in the United States and buy a new car was in 1991 (though inventory probably lasted until 1992 or 1993). Back then, chances are good it would have been a 405 sedan, not a bad car, but simply not distinctive enough to lure American buyers. Lacking a solid mix of cars, U.S. Peugeot dealers saw sales decline to 4,261 units in 1990 and just 2,240 units in 1991. Clearly it was time to take the brand off of life support in the United States.

The Peugeot 308 GTi.

Now comes word that Europe’s second largest automaker is considering a return to the U.S. market. The biggest stumbling block would the cost to return, since Peugeot lacks a network of dealerships and has zero brand identity on these shores. None of their current automobiles were designed with U.S. expansion in mind, so it’s likely that more than minor changes would be required to meet the expectations of U.S. customers. On the other hand, Peugeot has expertise in diesel engines and their cars are generally renown for their handling, so maybe a turbo diesel sport sedan priced for the masses would go a long way towards re-establishing the brand. If this proves to be more than a rumor, expect Peugeot to move cautiously to re-enter the market. I’d expect to see something like their 308 first, followed by the 407 or the 508 depending on their strategy and expectations. I’m not sure I’d file this in the “likely” column, but I’d welcome their return to the US, and I doubt I’m alone.

Source: 4 Wheels News

BMW & Peugeot Announce Hybrid Joint Venture

Kurt Ernst — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 17:30:17 +0000

The Mini E, likely to benefit from the new joint venture. Image: © BMW AG

The BMW Group and PSA Peugeot Citroën have signed an agreement to establish a joint venture aimed at developing hybrid drive technologies. The company, to be called BMW Peugeot Citroën Electrification, will develop and build components for hybrid systems, including battery packs, generators, chargers, controllers and software. By sharing R&D, purchasing and production, the partner companies feel that they’ll be able to develop and build hybrid vehicles more economically than their competitors.

Ultimately, the goal of the group is to create an open platform to benefit the EU automotive industry and push the development of hybrid vehicles. The group is clear that this is a commercial venture, and any technology or products developed will likely be available for licensing from competitors. Management and workers will be drawn from the respective partner companies, and the joint venture is expected to launch by the third quarter of 2011. If all goes as planned, expect to see results from the group as soon as the 2014 model year.

Source: BMW Group

Sorry, But No 1977 Peugeot Is Worth $1 Million

Kurt Ernst — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 17:30:58 +0000

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may be the president of Iran, but he’s got a thing or two to learn about selling cars on the internet. He recently put his 1977 Peugeot up for bid on a special website launched by the Iranian government, and the bids have already exceeded $1 million. I may not agree with the man’s politics, his sanity or his rather bizarre take on world history, but he’s selling his car for a noble cause (the construction of houses for the disabled and their caretakers), and besides, I hate to see anyone get scammed. Mr. Ahmadinejad, the internet is a corrupt place. You know your views on the lawless decadence of the west, specifically Hollywood and Vine in Los Angeles? The internet is worse than that. It’s got more thieves and scam artists than New Year’s Eve in Times Square, and that’s saying something. I’m guessing that whoever placed the $1 million bid for a car worth $1,000 (and I’m being generous since you’re selling it for charity) is about 15 years old and posting from his mom’s computer. He probably had a good laugh about it, and signed up with some creative user name like “DeathToTheWest77”. Trust me on this, he’s not going to cough up the Rials for the purchase, since his net worth is probably a Playstation 3 and a tattered copy of “Penthouse” magazine.

I’d also avoid anyone who tries the old “I’ll send you a cashier’s check for more than the sale value” trick, because that’s also a scam. The funds on the check will never clear, and then you’ll be out the money you spent and your car. If you’re borderline homicidal now, how are you going to feel then? It’s not like you can send death squads after someone posting from an internet cafe and using a mail drop as a address.

If you really want to sell the car, try using a legitimate website like Hemmings Motor News or Craigslist (although you probably don’t have a Craigslist, Tehran, do you?). I don’t know how to break this to you, but you’re really just a minor celebrity in the west, so don’t be surprised if your name doesn’t draw in huge money. Remember, you’re selling a 1977 Peugeot 504 here, and not something rare or exotic. Be reasonable in your expectations, and remember that the internet is no place for noobs.

Source: Autoevolution

You Should Have to Pedal Bicycles, Dammit

Dustin Driver — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 20:00:17 +0000

Bicycles are human powered. They don’t have motors. And they certainly don’t have on-board computer systems. They are the perfect amalgam of man and machine. So you, engineer at Peugeot, and you, SolidWorks whiz at ebike: Stop. Peugeot’s electric-assist bicycle reared its bull-horn-shaped grips at the Paris Auto Show, sporting a hub-less wheel. Electric scooter manufacturers smart also unveiled its ebike, which has an iPhone dock. Seriously. Enough is enough. Few things rival the simple joy of riding a bicycle. Don’t make it any more complicated than it has to be. Hit the jump for more photos.

smart ebike, complete with iPhone dock

More Electric Madness: Peugeot Ex1

Dustin Driver — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 18:30:51 +0000

The psychotically awesome Peugeot Ex1 electric concept recently hit the track, and it clocked some impressive numbers. It hit 62 mph (100 kph) in 3.55 seconds, the quarter mile in 14.4, and raced up to a top speed of 161 mph. So, okay, the 14.4 quarter mile time isn’t all that impressive. But everything else about the car is. The thing looks like an angry silverfish, has all-wheel drive, and requires a helmet to dive. Its seats are also attached to its doors, which swing out like insectoid wing covers. Oh, and its two rear wheels ride on a motorcycle-like swing arm. Hit the jump for more photos.

Source: Wired

Forgotten Rides: Peugeot 504 Coupe

Dustin Driver — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:30:14 +0000

There are a whole mess of sweet European rides that us ‘Mericans just plain ignore. Peugeot’s 504 coupe is one of them. It’s like an Italian supermodel crossed with a buxom French burlesque performer. It’s an apt analogy, considering its body was penned by the renowned Pininfarina and its mechanicals are all French. Well, French and Swedish. But we’ll get to that later. The 504 coupe was released in 1969, one year after the 504 sedan hit the streets of Paris. It was originally equipped with a wheezy but efficient 1.8-liter inline four cylinder. In 1974 the coupe received a 136-horsepower 2.7-liter V6. The engine was developed as a joint venture between Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo, and ended up in many European cars. The 504 had fully independent suspension and handled well enough to win the Sahara Rally in 1978. Unfortunately, like most cars of the ’70s, the 504 coupe had no rust protection and tended to dissolve in even mild humidity. Still, there are some floating around the States, just waiting to dance for the right owner.

Source: Ran When Parked

In U.K., Your Peugeot RCZ Owns You

Kurt Ernst — Tue, 18 May 2010 18:24:28 +0000

In U.K., Your Peugeot RCZ Owns You

In what may be the creepiest car ad ever filmed (despite the happy pop soundtrack), a British man is stalked by a new Peugeot RCZ retractable hard top convertible. The car follows him through deserted streets before trapping him on the sixth floor of a parking garage. The door opens to reveal a driverless car with intelligence similar to HAL, the computer that didn’t handle rejection well in “2001: A Space Odyssey”. No way in hell am I getting into that car.

The tag line, “It chooses you, it owns you” reminds me of the old “In Soviet Union” jokes. Remember, “In America, you can always find a party; in Soviet Union, party always finds you”?

Found on: Autoblog

2012 Land Rover LRX To Be Front Wheel Drive

Kurt Ernst — Tue, 11 May 2010 13:45:16 +0000

First came news that the 2011 Ford Explorer would be a unibody front-wheel-drive sport ute, instead of the body on frame RWD version we’d come to expect. Now, Land Rover, maker of storied off road vehicles that have been to hell and back, has announced a new front wheel drive version of their upcoming LRX. Expect it to be unveiled at this October’s Paris Auto Show, with production beginning sometime in 2011. We probably won’t see it on this side of the pond, as the sole motor identified to date is a 2.2 liter turbo diesel developed in conjunction with Peugeot.

Land Rover LRX Concept

Land Rover has adopted the FWD design to lower both the price and the CO2 emissions. The eco-friendly approach has prompted the UK government to give Land Rover 27 million pounds in financial assistance to develop the new model.

Source: Front-Wheel-Drive Land Rover Coming

Bring Out Your Dead: Car Logos From Beyond The Grave

Kurt Ernst — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:00:34 +0000

The past thirty years have not been kind to automakers who sell cars in the United States. We’ve seen financial collapse, rising distribution and product liability costs, skyrocketing oil prices and a fickle buying public that no longer understands the concept of brand loyalty. Selling cars in the U.S. of A, it seems, requires deep pockets for marketing and promotion: if you’re not constantly in the face of the American consumer, chances are you won’t be a brand for very long.

Toyota’s recent $16.4 million fine got me thinking about how many automotive brands, good, bad and otherwise we’ve lost over the past 30 years. Following is a collection of car logos that have received last rites in the United States since 1980. Some of these companies continue to enjoy success in the EU or Asia, while others are dead and buried, with no chance of resurrection. It begs the question of how different the automotive landscape will look in another 30 years, assuming we’re still driving cars at all.

The dates below reflect the automaker’s lifespan in the US market, ranked from oldest to youngest.

1. Oldsmobile

Born: 1897
Died: 2004, age 107
Cause of death: Product mediocrity, combined with branding confusion and an aging demographic.

2. Pontiac

Born: 1926
Died: 2010, age 84
Cause of death: Branding confusion complicated by extreme corporate indifference.

3. Fiat

Born: 1908
Died: 1983, age 75
Cause of death: Product build quality that led consumers to believe Fiat really did stand for, “Fix It Again, Tony”. Fiat’s return with a revitalized and vastly improved product is anxiously awaited by U.S. enthusiasts who remember cars like the X/19 and Spider. Fortunately, Fiat is alive and well outside of the U.S. market.

4. Plymouth

Born: 1928
Died: 2001, age 73
Cause of death: Branding confusion and consumer indifference. Even halo cars like the Plymouth Prowler failed to draw much attention to the brand in its later years.

5. Isuzu

Born: 1953
Died: 2009, age 56
Cause of death: A shrinking product line that, in the end, consisted solely of rebadged GM leftovers. Isuzu continues to manufacture light and medium duty trucks worldwide, including trucks for Budget Rental in the United States, but their car, SUV and pickup truck business is gone.

6. Triumph

Born: 1932
Died: 1981, age 49
Cause of death: Abysmal build quality and a product line that consisted only of small, underpowered and ill-handling sports cars. The TR7, sadly, was not the shape of things to come after all.

7. Alfa Romeo

Born: 1950s
Died: 1995, age approximately 45
Cause of death: A product mix that was non-competitve in price and variety, supported by too few dealers. Fortunately, Alfa Romeo continues to exist in foreign markets, but has seen shrinking sales in the past few years. American “Alfisti” anxiously await the return of the storied marque, possibly supported by the vast network of Chrysler dealers.

8. MG

Born: 1945
Died: 1980, age 35
Cause of death: Frequent changes of ownership, questionable build quality and a product line that lacked sedans or hardtop coupes. MG continues on, now owned by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC).

9. American Motors Corporation

Born: 1954
Died: 1987, age 33
Cause of death: Pressure from majority shareholder Renault, who had their own financial and labor issues, forced the sale of AMC to Chrysler. Chrysler bought AMC primarily for its Jeep brand, which continues to be a sales success.

10. Peugeot

Born: 1958
Died: 1991, age 33
Cause of death: Declining sales, a shrinking U.S. product line and a modest dealer network that didn’t promote the brand. Peugeot continues to be a success in other global markets, but a rumored return to the U.S. market isn’t likely in the near future.

11. Saturn

Born: 1990
Died: 2009, age 19
Cause of death: GMitis, a combination of branding confusion, corporate indifference and no cohesive product strategy.

12. Hummer

Born: 1992
Died: 2010, age 18
Cause of death: Declining consumer interest in a product line that consisted only of fuel sucking SUVs with modest off-road capabilities.

13. Eagle

Born: 1988
Died: 1998, age 10
Cause of death: Rebadged products from other manufacturers, brand ambiguity and poor marketing caused Chrysler to pull the plug on the brand after a ten year run.

14. Geo

Born: 1988
Died: 1998, age 10
Cause of death: A brand built on selling entry level, badge engineered product without a distinct identity never lasts long. Killed so GM could focus on entry level products in other brands.

15. Yugo

Born: 1985
Died: 1992, age 7
Cause of death: Arguably the worst car ever sold in America, Yugo proved that cheap was only a selling point if it was coupled with reliable.

16. Lancia

Born: 1975
Died: 1982, age 7
Cause of death: Poor build quality and steel so thin you could watch it rust through, coupled with a tiny dealer presence, killed the Lancia brand in the US years before it died in the UK. Lancia, a division of Fiat, remains a strong brand in the EU where it’s positioned as an upscale alternative to Fiat.

17. Renault

Born: About 1980
Died: 1987, age 7
Cause of death: Collateral damage of the decline of American Motors, Renault pulled out of the US market for economic reasons just as their popularity was beginning to grow. They continue to be a viable brand in the rest of the world.

18. Sterling

Born: 1987
Died: 1992, age 5
Cause of death: If you’re going to launch a new car brand, make sure the first models you deliver are properly put together. Essentially a rebadged Rover 800 with a Honda motor, early production Sterlings had problems with trim, electronics, paint and corrosion. Buyers never gave them a second chance.

19. Daihatsu

Born: 1988
Died: 1992, age 4
Cause of death: Too little effort to launch the brand in the U.S., combined with too few dealers. Even critical praise for the Daihatsu Rocky, their counterpart to Suzuki’s Sidekick, wasn’t enough to save the brand in the U.S. market. Worldwide, Daihatsu remains a viable brand, benefiting from their partnership with Toyota in select markets.